Dark Chocolate Cherry Pistachio Bars, a healthy blend for a sweet and tart on-the-go treat!
This month’s Recipe Redux asked us to pick a pantry item and revamp it into something amazing, I picked pistachios. I had a lonely bag of unsalted pistachios kicking around in the back of my pantry since Christmas because let’s face it, who likes snacking on unsalted pistachios?!? I bought them by accident, oops!
Here’s my chance to finally use them and stop feeling guilty every time I open the pantry door!
Pistachios, dried cherries, oats, dates, brown rice syrup and last but not least…dark chocolate!
The brown rice syrup is just that…very sticky syrup, you will get a workout in trying to mix the bowl! However, its stickiness is perfect for holding these bars together, similar to the rice crispy treats I made at Easter.
- 10 dates, pitted
- ½ cup brown rice syrup
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
- ⅓ cup old fashioned oats
- 1 cup shelled unsalted pistachios, chopped
- 1 cup dried cherries
- ⅓ cup mini dark chocolate chips (plus ¼ cup extra for drizzled topping, optional)
- pinch sea salt
- Blend pitted dates in a food processor until a paste is formed (if dates are really dry soak in warm water for 10 minutes before blending), transfer to a bowl.
- Add brown rice syrup, chia seeds, hemp seeds, oats, chopped pistachios, dried cherries, ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips and pinch of sea salt. Mix until well combined.
- Transfer to an 8x8 baking pan lined with parchment paper. Evenly spread and press down firmly using the back of a large spoon. Place in refrigerator to chill. Once chilled, cut into 16 squares using a large sharp knife.
- Optional step: Melt ¼ mini dark chocolate chips in a double boiler. Drizzle over cut bars and let chocolate set.
- Enjoy!
The health benefits of pistachios are many!
Here’s the breakdown:
~Over 50% of the fat they contain are the heart healthy kind, monounsaturated fat
~High in fiber and protein
~A good source of B vitamins
~High in minerals such as copper, magnesium and selenium
For an on-the-go snack, individually wrap in parchment paper and store in the refrigerator!
Make sure to check out how the other members of Recipe Redux tackled this month’s challenge!
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